The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-10-22
Thankful Blossom
A Romance of the Jerseys, 1873.
BY BRET HARTE.
Copyrighted by Toughton, Miilln & CO., ana
published by arrangement with theml
By DRET HARTE.
CHAPTER w.

Blossom Farm gate. She had never
looked pretticr, she had never felt more
embarrassed, as she entered her own
house. During her rapid ride she had al
ready framed speech Of apology to Maj.
Van Zandt, which, however, utterly fled
from her lips as that officer showed him
self respectfully on the threshold. Yet
she permitted him to usurp the functions
of the grinning Caesar, and help her from
her horse; albeit she was conscious OF eX-
hibiting the awkward timdity OF "A bash
full rustic, until ut last, with stammer-
ing "Thank ye," she actually ran up
stairs TO hide her glowing face and far too
conscious eyelids.
During the rest Of that day Maj. Van
Zandt quietly kept out Of her way, with
out obtrusively seeming to avoid her. Yet,
when they met casually in the perform
ance of her household duties, the innocent
Mistress Thankful noticed, under her
downcast pentential eyelids, that the eyes
of the officer followed her intently. And
thereat she fell unconsciously to initiating
him; and so they eyed each other furtively
like cats, and rubbed themselves along the
walls of rooms and passages when they
met, lest they should seem designedly to
come near each other, and enacted the
grayest and most formal of genuilcctons,
courtesies and bows when they accident
ally did meet. And just at the close of
the second day, as the elegant Maj, Van
Zandt was feeling himself fast becoming
a driveling idiot and an awkward country
BOBBY, the arrival Of courier from head
quarters saved that gentleman his self
respect forever.
Mistress Thankful was In her sitting
room when he knocked at the door. She
opened it in sudden, conscious trepidation.
~ ask pardon for intruding, Mistress
Thankful Blossom, " he said gravely; but
i have here'-he held out pretentious
document-"a letter for you from head
quarters May / hope that it contains
good news-the release of your father
and that it relieves you from my presence,
and an espionage which / assure you can
not be more unpleasant to you than 1t has
been to myself"
As he entered the room, Thankful had
risen to her feet with the Full intention Of
delivering to him her little set apology;
but, as he ended his speech, she looked at
him bankly, and burst out crying.
OF course he was in an instant at her
side, and holding her cold little hand.
Then she managed to say, between her
tears, that she had been wanting to make
an apology to him; that she had wanted
to say ever since she arrived that she had
been rude, very rude, and that she knew
he never could forgive her; that she had
been trying to say that she never could
forget his gentle forbearance; "only," she
added, suddenly raising her tear frnged
brown lids to the astonished man, "you
wouldn't ever let mel'
"Dear Mistress Thankful" said the
major, in conscience stricken horror, 'if
have made myself distant to you, believe
me it was only because feared to in
trude upon your sorrow l really-dear
Mistress Thankiul-P'--
"When you took all the pains to go
round the hall instead Of through the
dining room, lest should ask you to for
give me-" sobbed Mistress Thankful, II
neutrality-suspicious. me, and pre-
ferred to-
perhaps this letter may mitigate your
sorrow, Mistress Thankful" said the
officer, pointing TO the letter she still held
unconscously in her hand
With n blush at her preoccupaton,
Thankful opened the letter. 1t was u
half official document and ran as follows:
The commander-in-chcf is glad TO inform Mis-
trcss Thankful Blossom that the charges pre-
ferred against her father have upon fair exam
ination, been found groundless and trivial The
commandcr.in-chef further begs TO inform
Mistress Blossom the the gentleman known to
her under the name Of the Baron Pomposo" was
his excellency Don Juan Morales, ambassador
a
and that the gentleman known to her as the
"Count FERDINAND was Senior Godoy. secretary
TO the embassy. The commander wishes
TO add that Mistress Thankful Blossom IL relieved
OF any further obligation OF hospitality toward
these honorable gentlemen, as the commander.
in-chief regrets TO record the sudden and deeply
TO be depored death Of his excellency this morn
ing by typhoid fever and the possible speedy re-
turn OF the embassy.
In conclusion the commander in chief wishes 10
bear testimony to the truthfulness. intuition and
discretion OF Mistress Thankful Blossom.
By order Of his excellency,
GEN. GEORGE WASHINGTON.
ALEX. HAMILTON, Secretary.
To Mistress Thankful Blossom, Of Blossom Farm.
Thankful Blossom was silent for few
moments, and then raised her abashed
eyes to Maj. Van Zandt. A single glance
satisfied her that he knew nothing of the
imposture that had beon practced upon
her-knew nothing of the trap into which
her vanity and self will had led her.
"Dear Mistress Thankful" said the
major, seeing the distress in her face 81
trust the news is not i'll. Surely | gath
cred from the sergeant that
"What'" said Thankful, looking at him
innocently.
'That in twentyfour hours at furthest
your father would be free, and that
should be relieved''-
81 know that you are a-weary Of youI
task, major" said Thankful, bitterly; ere
joice, then, TO know your information Is
correct, and that my father is eXhoner'
-unless--unless this Is a forgery
and Gen. Washington should turn out &c
be somebody else, and you should turn
out to be somebody else"--- And she
stopped short and hid her wet eyes in the
window curtains.
"Poor girlI' said Maj. Van Zandt to
himself ''This trouble has undoubtedly
Zrenzied her. Fool that was to lay W
the insult OF one that sorrow and excite.
ment had bereft Of reason and RESPONSE
bilityi 'Twere better ! should retire al
once and leave her TO herself" and the
young man slowly retreated toward the
door.
But at this moment there were alarm
ing symptoms Of distress in the window